Helmets are used in many outdoor activities to protect the wearer from head injuries that may occur during the activity. For example, helmets worn during snow sports provide head protection to a the wearer in the event of a fall or crash, as well as from equipment (e.g., skis, poles, snowboards, boots) that may come loose and strike the wearer in the head. In another example, cycling helmets protect the rider's head in the event of a fall or crash which may subject their head to impact.
Consumers measure the desirability of a helmet based on various criteria. For example, helmets should provide good protection to the head in the event of an impact, but should also be relatively light in weight and provide sufficient ventilation when worn. Helmets should also be affordable and have a design that facilitates manufacturability. Additionally, a helmet should be esthetically pleasing or consumers will not purchase it.
Often, these various criteria compete with one another. For example, a helmet that is light in weight and provides adequate ventilation is generally less impact resistant than one that has a heavier design. That is, a helmet can be designed with a harder shell material that is generally heavier than other lighter shell materials resulting in a helmet that provides greater protection but is not as light as desirable. A helmet may be designed to have less ventilation openings to improve coverage of the head in the event of an impact, but this results in a helmet having less ventilation than is desirable. Additionally, a helmet providing good head protection and is light in weight may be complicated to manufacture and can be expensive.
Therefore, there is a need for alternative helmet designs that can balance various competing factors that are used in measuring the desirability of a helmet.